Death of Vision

Review: Avengers Disassembled – The Day the Heroes Fell Publisher: Marvel Comics Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Penciller: David Finch Release Date: August 2004 – January 2005 Avengers Disassembled is infamous. Written by Brian Michael Bendis in 2004, this story arc ended the classic Avengers era. It also paved the way for the modern “New Avengers” line up. The story remains controversial. Bendis treats fan-favourite characters with brutal indifference. At the time, this caused an uproar. The repercussions shook the entire Marvel Universe. But does it hold up today? A Controversial Classic I missed this arc when it first dropped in 2004. I finally read the trade paperback ten years later. Perhaps that delay helped me enjoy it more. Fans took the destruction of their heroes personally at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, we can view it through a historical lens. We know where the characters end up. However, the book is far from perfect. I generally enjoy Brian Michael Bendis’ work. I appreciate his goal here. He wanted to strip down a bloated history. He wanted to clear the crowded roster. This allows characters to have fresh starts. It is similar to DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, but on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, the execution feels heavy-handed. The intention is rarely subtle. Chaos Erupts I am glad I read the collected edition. If I had waited week-to-week for single issues, I might have quit. The first few chapters offer inexplicable chaos. There is no clear explanation for the madness. However, the main title is “Chaos.” You certainly can’t accuse Marvel of false advertising. Seeing the team thrown into total disarray is fascinating. The Avengers are usually in control. They protect Earth’s citizens with confidence. Seeing them lose that control so quickly is a shock to both the characters and the reader. The problem is the pacing. Crazy events play out consecutively. There is no time to breathe. We never see the heroes process the gravity of their situation. Major characters die, yet the story breezes past them for the next big shock. This makes some of the boldest story beats feel hollow. Not for Beginners A quick word of advice: Do not start here. If you are new to Marvel comics, this is a terrible entry point. I know Marvel’s convoluted continuity well. Even I struggled to follow certain sections of this story. You need a firm grasp of pre-2004 Avengers history to truly understand the impact. The Art: Dark and Gritty I have mixed feelings about the artwork. David Finch’s pencils capture the grand scale of the story brilliantly. He shows the magnitude of destruction perfectly. However, the intimate moments suffer. The way Finch draws faces often feels out of place. It takes away from the emotional gravity of the situation. Frank D’Armata’s colors don’t always help. His style is bright and bold. I think certain scenes needed a muted palette. The garish colours clash with the darker story beats. Issues with Age Revisiting this book in the modern era reveals some flaws. Specifically, the costumes haven’t aged well. This is especially true for the female characters. We have seen shows like The Boys parody the “closet lasciviousness” of comic art. In that light, the impractical leather and spandex designs stick out like a sore thumb. The Highlight The artistic highlight comes in the finale. The surviving Avengers gather to reminisce. We get a beautiful series of two-page spreads. These show a highlight reel of the Avengers’ greatest moments. Different artists draw each flashback. We see Captain America’s revival. We see Wanda and Vision’s wedding. This savvy decision recaptures classic moments for a modern audience. It allows each artist to put their own spin on history. Final Verdict I have given Bendis’ writing a bit of a bashing in this review. Despite that, I still enjoy this book. I can’t fault the unflinching boldness of the writing. It is refreshing to see our favorite heroes out of their depth. This story had to happen. It set up the massive success of New Avengers and House of M. I understand the fan backlash. But I appreciate the guts it took to publish this. If you know your history and want to see the Avengers break, you will enjoy Avengers Disassembled. Score: 4/5